T52 
.6 55 



Copv 



I 



12 



T52 

. Gss 

Copv I 




THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF 
MECHANICAL ENGINEERS 

29 WEST THIRTY-NINTH STREET, NEW YORK 



PROCESS CHARTS 



BY 

FRANK B^GILBRETH 

w 
Mem.Am.Soc M.E. 



' .^<\ AND 

L\ Mf GILBRETH 




Presented at the Annual Meeting of Tie American Society of Mechanical 
Engineers, 29 West 39th Street, Ne v York, December 5 to 9, 1921 

The Society as a body is not responsible for the statements of facts or opinions advanced in papers or 
--— *" discussions : C55) 









i 



To replace lost copy 
MAR 2 5 1932 






$ 



SET 



/ 



PROCESS CHARTS 

FIRST STEPS IN FINDING THE ONE BEST WAY TO DO WORK 

By Frank B. Gilbreth, Montclair, N. J. 

Member of the Society 

and 

L. M. Gilbreth, Montclair, N. J. 

Non-Member 

The process chart is a device for visualizing a process as a means of improving 
it. Every detail of a process is more or less affected by every other detail; therefore 
the entire process must be presented in such form that it can be visualized all at once 
before any changes are made in any of its subdivisions. In any subdivision of the 
process under examination, any changes made without due consideration of all the 
decisions and all the motions that precede and follow thai subdivision will often be 
found unsuited to the ultimate plan of operation. 

In the present paper the authors point out the place of the process chart in 
management and present established working- data used successfully in numerous 
working installations for many years. They also point out its simplicity, field of 
application, its relation to standardization, etc., etc. 

While the process-chart methods will be helpful in any kind of work and under 
all forms of management, the best results can come, the authors state, only where 
there is a mechanism of management that will enforce and make repetitive the con- 
ditions of the standards. 

T^HE Process Chart is a device for visualizing a process as a means 
of improving it. Every detail of a process is more or less affected 
by every other detail; therefore the entire process must be pre- 
sented in such form that it can be visualized all at once before any 
changes are made in any of its subdivisions. In any subdivision of 
the process under examination, any changes made without due con- 
sideration of all the decisions and all the motions that precede and 
follow that subdivision will often be found unsuited to the ultimate 
plan of operation. 



For presentation at the Annual Meeting, New York, December 5 to 9, 1921, 
of The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 29 West 39th Street, 
New York. All papers are subject to revision. 

3 



4 PROCESS CHARTS 

PLACE OF PROCESS CHART IN MANAGEMENT 

2 The process chart is a record of present conditions. It 
presents, in simple, easily understood, compact form, data which 
must be collected and examined before any improvement in existing 
conditions and methods is undertaken. Even if existing conditions 
are apparently satisfactory, the chart is useful as presenting much 
information in condensed form. 

3 The process chart serves as an indicator of profitable changes. 
It assists in preventing "inventing downward," and stimulates in- 
vention that is cumulative and of permanent value. It is not only 
the first step in visualizing the one best way to do work, but is useful 
in every stage of deriving it. 

4 This paper presents established working data used success- 
fully in numerous installations for many years. 

FIELD OF APPLICATION 

5 The process chart lends itself equally well to the routine of 
production, selling, accounting and finance. It presents both simple 
and complicated problems easily and successfully; it provides records 
that are comparable; it assists in solving problems of notification 
and interdepartmental discrepancies, and it makes possible the more 
efficient utilization of similarities in different kinds of work and in 
the transfer of skill. 

6 During the stress of unexpected rush in production, it is 
often considered advisable to continue existing practice in present 
processes, even though inefficient. On the other hand, when pro- 
duction is normal or slow, it is more generally conceded that processes 
can profitably be bettered. 

7 The use of this process-chart procedure permits recording 
the existing and proposed methods and changes without the slightest 
fear of disturbing or disrupting the actual work itself, and also regard- 
less of whether business conditions are usual or unusual. 

8 Those who are interested in improving their processes of 
production should utilize times of industrial depression for that 
purpose. Many concerns are now taking such action; many more 
could undoubtedly enter upon such procedure of scrutinizing all 
their processes with the idea of putting them in the best possible 
condition, if they knew a simple procedure of such analysis. 



F. B. AND L. M. GILBRETH 



SIMPLICITY OF THE PROCESS CHART 

9 The aim of the process chart is to present information regard- 
ing existing and proposed processes in such simple form that such 
information can become available to and usable by the greatest 
possible number of people in an organization before any changes 
whatever are actually made, so that the special knowledge and 
suggestions of those in positions of minor importance can be fully 
utilized. 

10 The time has passed — if it ever existed — when the engi- 
neer prided himself upon the abstruse material that he studied and 

. 136. All the time of ALL our workmen must be entered on 
the regular time book sheets. When men are employed on EXTRA 
WORK see additional directions below. 

137. Time book sheets must be mailed to the office the 
night that the payroll closes. Send at the same time all 
EXPENSE ACCOUNTS, CASH ACCOUNTS, (made up to date) and 
PAYMASTERS 1 REQUISITION. 

138. Send original time sheet to the office regardless of' 
its appearance. 

139. Keep all time books with the greatest care. 

140. DO NOT USE A NOTE BOOK. We find that most mistakes 
in workmen's time are caused by copying. 

141. All remarks about the payroll must be written on the 
time sheet itself. 

142. The full time of every one of our men must appear 
on the regular TIME BOOK ("TB") sheets. The time of any of 
workmen which is to be charged to EXTRA WORK must be entered 
on supplementary sheets under the proper ORDER LETTER number. 

143. Keep separate sheet for each ORDER LETTER and fill 
out carefully the ORD. LET. (NUMBER) AND NATURE OF WORK. 

Fig. 1 Portion of Page of Written System Reproduced Directly 
from Typewritten Sheets 

presented. Today engineering ranks with the other sciences in 
conveying ideas in a form that is immediately usable. We avoid 
" translating," interpreting and adapting, thus eliminating waste. 

11 The process chart has met the tests of a satisfactory teach- 
ing device from the psychological standpoint, as well as of a satis- 
factory working device from an engineering standpoint. It shows 
the planned process as well as the present process, and therefore 
gains the cooperation of those affected. • In many instances record- 
ing industrial processes in process-chart form has resulted in aston- 
ishing improvements. 

COLLECTING THE INFORMATION 

12 Process-chart notes and information should be collected and 
set down in sketch form by a highly intelligent man, preferably with 



6 PROCESS CHARTS 

an engineering training and experience, but who need not necessarily 
have been previously familiar with the actual details of the processes. 
In fact, the unbiased eye of an intelligent and experienced process- 
chart maker usually brings better results than does the study of a less 
keen man with more special information regarding present practices 
of the processes. The mere act of investigating sufficiently to make 
the notes in good enough condition for the draftsman to copy in- 
variably results in many ideas and suggestions for improvement, 
and all of these suggestions, good and bad, should be retained and 
filed together with the description of the process chart. These sug- 
gestions and proposed improvements must be later explained to 
others, such as boards of directors, managers and foremen, and for 
best results also to certain workmen and clerks who have special 
craft or process knowledge. To overcome the obstacles due to habit, 
worship of tradition and prejudice, the more intelligence shown by 
the process-chart recorder, the sooner hearty cooperation of all 
concerned will be secured. Any one can make this form of process 
chart with no previous experience in making such charts, but the 
more experience one has in making them, the more certain standard 
combinations of operations, inspection and transporting can be 
transferred bodily to advantage to the charts of proposed processes. 



UTILIZING SUGGESTIONS 

13 A new viewpoint concerning old conditions invariably 
comes to those members of the organization who have become so 
accustomed to the traditional method that they cannot easily 
visualize a new method without prejudice until they actually see it 
in a new graphical form. After the rough notes of the process-chart 
maker have been redrawn and blueprinted, they are later exhibited 
in the executives' theater. 

14 If discussions arise as to the correctness of the presentation 
of the existing facts, or as to further details of the operations being 
studied, as shown by the simple symbols of the process chart, the 
room can be darkened and inexpensive glass diapositives projected 
on the wall. In addition, those present may be supplied with a 
special small pocket folding stereoscope for use with the same glass 
diapositives. 

15 As soon as the old or existing process is understood, a process 
chart of a better sequence and kind of operations which compose it 
is made. The procedure for this is the same for all cases as far as 






F. B. AND L. M. GILBRETH 



they are carried for the time being, but of course those processes 
which warrant the most study should be carried farthest in the 



BASKET 1 


J J 


J J 


J J 


] CHANGE ORDER 






M'MBERS' 


J ..1 


J .J 


J J 




SYMBOL 


DRAWING NO. 


PATTERN NO. 


ORDER NO. 


STANOINS ORDER NO. 


MONTH 


DAY 


YEAR 




J 


. 









THE FOLLOWING CHANCES TO BE MADE 



REASONS FOR MAKINC CHANCE 















ADVER- PURCHAS- 
CENERAL TREAS- 1 COMP- ! SALES TISINC INC 
MANACER URER TROLLER DEPART- DEPART- DEPART- 
MENT 1 MENT | MENT 


TRAFFIC ' ORDER 
DEPART- DEPART- 
MENT MENT 


ACCOUNT- 1 

ING ! COST OFFICE 
DEPART- DEPART- MANACER 
MENT i MENT | 


-ICED SIGNED SIGNED SIGNED SIGNED SIGNED 

: - i I 


H" 


S4GN3D (SIGNED 


SICNED 


DAY HO'.-R DAY . HOUR 1 DAY 1 HOUR J DAY j HOUR DAY HOUR 


DAY j HOUR 


i j . 


DAY | HOUR ' DAY 1 HOUR 


DAY j HOUR 


WORKS PLANT QUALITY PACKING INDUS- "mEnV" 
MANAGER ENCNEER SUPE^N. SUPERIN- ^TRUL^ pggj^. 


MASTER STORE- 
MECHANIC, KEEPER 


P.ECEIVINC SHIPPING 
DEPART- DEPART- 
MENT MENT 


CHART 
DEPART- 
MENT 




SIGNED 


signzo signed 


SIGNED 




SIGNED 9CNED 


*:gneo 


DAV 1 HOUR j DAY 1 HOUR 


DAY HOUR 


DAY , HOUrI DAY I HOUR 


DAV HOUR 




DAY 1 HOUR DAY 1 HOUR 


DAY I HOUR 












,.«- ?<**> ^ pNED S.GNED p. 


r 


1 


SIGNED 


DA, ■ „C< DAY j „™ DAY j .» DA, ; HOU^ DAY ■ HOUR | DAY j HOU^ 


DAY I HOUR j DAY 1 HOUR DAY 1 HOUR \ DAY | HOUR 


DAY j HOUR 



CHANGE ORDER No. O 

Fig. 2 Standard Change Order Blank 

Note that all blank forms should be thus numbered in each blank space to be filled out for 
describing clearly the One Best Way to Learn Work. 



process-chart procedure. The more people w T ho see the process 
chart and the greater detail into which the regular process charts 
are divided, the more suggestions for improvement will come in. 



PROCESS CHARTS 



RELATION TO STANDARDIZATION 

16 There is no process that warrants a process chart that does 
not warrant a " write-up " or " written system." Fig. 1 shows a 



/ 

A 
A 

A 

r 

A 



STORES REQUISITIONED 
STORES BOUGHT. 

STORES RECEIVED 

SEVERAL KINDS OF COMPONENTS -NOTDESIRABLE TO LIST INDIVIDUALLY 

WORKED MATERIALS REQUISITIONED 



WORKED MATERIALS ORDERED 

XX WHED HA TE RIALS ON HAND 

(XX) MERCHANDISE IN STORAGE READY TO SHIP. 

XQ( STORA GE AS PA RT OF PROCESS 

\/ PERMANENT RLE OF ANY DOCUMENTS OR MA TERIALS . 

\J TEMPORA RY FILE OF ANY DOCUMENTS OR PAPERS 

, (S) OPERATION SYMBOL - WITH NUMBER. S/6HIF/ES OPERATION N0.38. ORBTOPERATOrmiZB. 

® MOVED BY OPERA TOR PEIfFORMIHG OPERA TION N0.3B 
@ M0VED8YMAN 
® MOVED BY BOY 
MOB MOVED BY MESSENGER BOY 
© MOVED BY ELEVATOR 
(!) MOVED BY PNEUMATIC TUBE 
© MOVED BY CONVEYOR. 
© GRAVITY- MOVED BY GRAVITY CONVEYOR. 
© BEL T MOVED BY BEL T CONVEYOR. 

® — MOVED BY TRUCK. 

a. _, „„,-. (MOVED BY ELECTRIC TRUCK{SU8STITUTE-6AS0LINE.HANDi 

© ELECTRIC- \li Ft ^ as CASE MAYBE.) 

® — INFORMATION OR MESSAGE MOVED BY TELEPHONE. 



© — MOVED BY MAIL . 



INSPECTION FOR QUALITY. 



<Cfb> INSPECTION FOR QUALITY BY SEEING. 



l\ INSPECTION FOR QUALITY BY SMELLING. 





a 
si 



Fig 



WEIGHING. 
WEIGHT COUNTING. 



INSPECTION FOR QUALITY BY HEARIN6. 

INSPECTION FOR QUALITY BY TASTING. 

INSPECTION FOR QUALITY BY FEED 'NG. 

INSPECTION FOR QUALITY BY KINAESTHESIA 

INSPECTION FOR QUANTITY. 

INSPECTION FOR QUANTITY BY 

INSPECTION FOR QUANTITY BY COUNTING. 

INSPECTION FOR QUANTITY BY DRY OR LL.QUID MEASURING. 

INSPECTION FOR QUANTITY BY SEEING 

INSPECTION FOR QUANTITY BY AUTOMATIC COUNTING. 

INSPECTION FOR QUANTITY AND QUALITY (QUANTITY MOST 

IMPORTANT). 

3 Standard Symbols for Process Chart s 

(Continued on page 9) 



ft 



THEREAT LEAST ENOUGH- 
A PIECE MISSING FROM 
TRUCK OR PACKET? 



portion of a page of the 
written system of our 
organization printed in 
1899. It is interesting 
to note that it was re- 
produced directly from 
typewritten sheets and 
without being set up in 
type, and it is believed 
to be the first instance 
on record of a book be- 
ing printed from zinc 
etchings made from type- 
written manuscript. 

17 The more care 
taken in making the 
written system, the more 
will develop the need for 
and appreciation of the 
value of clearly defined 
written standards. The 
better and the more de- 
tail in which the written 
system is developed, the 
better and easier will the 
standards and standing 
orders be developed. 

18 Standards in 
writing should be made, 
even if there is not the 
managerial mechanism 
necessary to enforce and 
maintain them. Stand- 
ards made even with 
enforcing m e c h a n i s.m 
absent will hasten the 
day when the enforcing 
and maintaining mech- 



F. B. AND L. M. GILBRETH 



9 



anism will be installed and continuously operated. The procedure 
of making the standards will invariably lead to the simplifying and 
improving of the various steps as shown on the process chart. 

19 If it is desirable to study, improve and still further identify 
the subject-matter of each part of the process chart, it should be 
submitted to the regular routine process of standardization. A 
standard is a matter of degree. In its best form it is identified and 
defined with all the care and precision of the best practice for making 
the standing orders. The range, however, is dependent upon the 
degree of perfection with which provision has been made for enforcing 
and maintaining standards. 

20 While on the subject of range, it is well to call attention 
to the remarkable attempts of Germany and Holland to provide 
national standards. These standards already cover a very wide 
field, from the style of the hand lettering and the rulings to be used 
on the paper on which the standards themselves are printed, to a 
metal seat for a harvester, tractor or tank. The range, in fact, 
already covers a surpris- 
ingly wide list of things 
which have not been 
properly standardized in 
America, and is intended 
eventually to cover 
everything that is manu- 
factured in quantity, or 
that will for any other 
reason reduce costs or 
improve quality. Al- 
though there is much to 
criticise in these foreign 
standards, they are 
highly meritorious, 
worthy of continuous and 
careful attention, and a 
great credit to those who 
have devised them. 

21 It must be re- 
membered that the kind 

of standard adopted will affect the process almost invariably. There- 
fore standardization must be considered if the one best way to do work 
is to be derived. 



c 



n 



•NSPECTIQN FOR QUALITY AND QUANTITY (QUALITY MOST IMPORTANT). 
OVERINSPECTION FOR QUANTITY. 
OVERINSPECTION FOR QUALITY. 

INSPECTION FOR QUANTITY ON EXCEPTION PRINCIPLE. 
INSPECTION FOR QUALITY ON EXCEPTION PRINCIPLE. 
OVERINSPECTION FOfl QUANTITY ON EXCEPTION PRINCIPLE. 
OVERINSPECTION FOR QUALITY ON EXCEPTION PRINCIPLE. 
INSPECTION FOR QUANTITY AND OPERATION PERFORMED SIMULTANEOUSLY. 
INSPECTION FOR QUALITY AND OPERATION PERFORMED SIMULTANEOUSLY 

INSPECTION FOR QUANTITY AND QUALITY AND OPERATION PERFORMED 
SIMULTANEOUSLY (QUANTITY MOST /MPORTANT). 

INSPECTION FOR QUALITY AND QUANTITY AND OPERATION PERFORMED 

SIMULTANEOUSLY (QUALITY MOST IMPORTANT). 
BLANK FORM USED - INDICATES NO-Z COPY OF FORM 485; IF THERE 

IS BUT ONE COPY OF FORM MADE, FORM NUMBER APPEARS IN 

CENTER OF BLOCK . 
REPORTS NOT HAVING FORM NUMBERS WILL HAVE BRIEF TITLE 

WRITTEN IN BLOCK 

A SINGLE DEPARTMENT USED MORE THAN ONCE. 

) —■ BROKEN LINES INDICATE PROCESS OUTSIDE 

OF THE DEPARTMENT CHARTED - USED ON 
DEPARTMENTAL CHARTS. 



Fig. 3 



Standard Symbols for Process 
Charts (Continued) 



10 PROCESS CHARTS 

22 Particular attention should be called to the fact that the 
creation of national standards of manufacture, even to the smallest 
components of the arts and trades, means also the stabilization of 
employment and business in general, because manufacturers without 
sufficient orders in their regular lines of business to keep going will 
find it more profitable, in many instances, to manufacture the 
national standards and thus to turn their stores inventories into 
money immediately, rather than let their specially trained and skilled 
men leave them, with all the disadvantages of a high labor turnover. 
Here is an endless spiral of benefit, for the more chances there are 
for a manufacturer to dispose of his inventory for cash and keep his 
organization together a little longer, even in times of general timidity, 
the more he will dare be a purchaser of raw material, for the process 
for such emergencies can be standardized and ready. The result is 
standardization combined with stabilization of employment, a quick 
capital turnover and a low labor turnover. 

23 Many fear standardization of the component elements of a 
process chart as something from which, once done, it will be difficult to 
escape. For the purpose of allaying such groundless fears, the standard 
change order, Fig. 2, has been provided. This, when signed by the 
authorized party, instantly changes, or for a certain instance, or a 
certain time, waives the existing standard whether it relates to a 
thing, a method, a procedure or a process. It will be noted that this 
change order blank contains provisions for the notification of, and 
for the acknowledgment of receipt of notification of, all persons who 
are concerned with, or interested in, the change. 

24 Note that in the lower right-hand corners of the various 
spaces in Fig. 2 there are small consecutive numbers. This is stand- 
ardized to agree with write-ups and standing orders for using 
standard blank forms. It not only makes the writing of the standing 
order more simple, exact and clear, but it also shortens the time of 
the learning period for using these blank forms. This is a valuable 
feature at all times, but particularly useful during the transitory 
period of installing new methods of management. 

25 Experience shows that if process charts are made use of, 
exceedingly few of the existing blank forms survive in their present 
form. The savings that can be made in any large organization 
resulting from submitting them to the test of this process will in 
variably prove it to be a good investment. 

26 If all departments of the United States Government would 
adopt two features, namely: 



F. B. AND L. M. GILBRETH 



11 



a Put small numbers in each space to be filled out on all 

of its blank forms, and 
b Make write-ups and standing orders of exactly how each 

blank form is to be filled out 

and would then make a survey and criticism in accordance with 
the known laws of micromotion study, the resulting savings would 
be astounding. 

27 We believe that, as a result, not one per cent of present 



Opo 



OVA 



□ 













Fig. 4 Standard Process-Chart Symbols Made with Standard Celluloid 
Guides and Using Standard Pen No. 707 

(One-fourth actual size) 

blank forms would remain unchanged. All Government blank 
forms that we have seen violate all laws of motion study and learn- 
ing methods of least waste. 

28 The standing order is for enforcing standards and other 
standing orders. This has already been described in a paper before 
this Society. 



12 



PROCESS CHARTS 




F. B. AND L. M. GILBRETH 



13 






fa* £ 






9 


I 
i 


£5 


O V) 


g 




5 

B 








S 




0- 






Q 




»*4 






o 




Q 






0C5 




£ 






8 




§ 


§ 

£: 

£ 
§ 


52 


9 


3 

8 
& 

£ 


1 


fc 


g 




5 

fc 




5 


ff 


? 


5 


£ 


5 


* 


k! 


!( 


k« 


o 


c> 


s 


a 


Q> 



< On©®©©©©@ ® 



14 



PEOCESS CHARTS 



29 The more detail in which the standing order is made, the 
better. The more the procedure is described by it, the greater will 
be the improvements and the greater the automaticity resulting. 1 

30 If any operation of the process shown in the process chart 
is one that will sufficiently affect similar work, then motion study 









m'essenger:,»;;,';,"sik; , .s'"' standing order no. 




NUMBERS AS WRITTEN HERE. NO. OF SHEETS 




SHEET NO. 


o 




""'"" 






r,"° 


:i"" , "°" 












H.. 


WHO ' S TO OO THIS WORK 


WHERE ,TST 






■ASKETNUM.ER AND NAME 


INSUILDINONO. 


IN ROOM NO. 


AT WORK PLACC NO. 






NAI.EDrFO.mON.RrUNCT.DN 


NE.RD.ORNO. 


NEAR WINDOW NO. 


NEAR COLUMN NO 









,j 


n 


,„ 


«S 




O io— 


CALENDAR tAf UrM THIS WORK IS TO SE DONE SEQUENCE IA/ UTM 




I - 

a — 

Id — 


-r.rr:r rrr.i 


WHAT ' S T ° BE D0NC AND U/UV STATING THE REASON WILL ALWAYS MAKE EASIER 




o "- 






s — 






(A — 






r- — 






z 






£ 






0. 20— 






Id — 






3 _ 
-1 






CD — 






U _ 






*C 






< 25— 






s — 




o 


2 - 

a 






Id — 

*> 30— 

a 


» 


\*t L4 Q T ° SASKET NUMBER AND NAME 


WHEN | 0AY | """• | Y " R 




Id — 

> 




TO INSPECT 




£ — 








Z. — 








a. — 


. >•. 




WHO" «.««««.,... AND NAME 


WHEN | DAT | MON ' ] Y "" 




< 
o — 


OVER-INSPECT IT 


TO OVER-INSPECT 




* — 




2. 




o _ 

< 


W H O M TO '"*" """" ™" "" 


WHOM™ -RET NU..ER AND NAME 




fl> _ 


NOTirV »T THE 


!i°lIoT COMPLETED 




Id 


IS COMPLETED ^ ^ 


mSoVmriV*"' " 




3 — 


BEND REMINDERS AS CITED BELOW 


• tr.oDUPLICATEco.it. 






t- — 


^L, „,„, 


K.U. 


•<* 


"...T. 


.... 


"""""""" "*" 


"'••"»»"••»•" 




3 «— 


















s - 


















r- — 


















2 _ 


















(L 


















>- — 


















h 50— 












a 




o 


55— 


suaaiSTEO .t 






Puis 




«"""• 


hs£T 






... | ... 1 .... 


... | .... | .... 


.„ | ... | .... 


...| M. | .... 


..... ... | .... 


....| ... I..-. 


—j-|~ 






1 1 .. 


1 1 » 


1 A, 


1 1 « 


1 1 « 


1 1 A4 


! I - 




sstd 1 



Fig. 6 Standing Order Blank 



should be made of each part of the process, and the degree to which 
the motion study should be carried depends upon the opportunities 
existing therein for savings. 

1 See Psychology of Management; Applied Motion Study; and Bulletin of 
the Taylor Society for June, 1921. 



F. B. AND L. M GILBRETH 



15 



31 If the operations are 
highly repetitive or consist of 
parts or subdivisions that can 
be transferred to the study 
of many other operations, 
then micromotion studies al- 
ready made can be referred 
to; also new and further 
micromotion studies may be 
warranted in order that the 
details of method with the 
exact times of each of the 
individual subdivisions of the 
cycle of motions, or "ther- 
bligs," as they are called, 
that compose the one best 
way known, may be recorded 
for constant and cumulative 
improvement. Such motion 
study can be best visualized 
if seen in chart form and 
similar process charts can be 
made of any or all of the 
large or small circles, squares 
and diamonds shown on the 
process charts. These sub- 
divided motion charts can be 
made of each and all of the 
cycles in any given opera- 
tion. Much benefit can often 
be derived, even if such 
motion charts are made 
roughly. For best results, 
and especially when complete 
records are required, such, 
for example, as when the 
process charts are of work 
that is highly repetitive, 
micromotion charts can be 
made which will give the 
maximum amount of analysis 
and visualization of com- 
ponent parts of the existing 



1 

)2 
2, 

)2 
1 
)1 

s, 

MOB 

? 
Mt 

M.03 

6 
7 



CONSULTING ENGINEERS REEXAMINE PROVEN 
FORMS O.K. FOR PRINTING. 



STOREKEEPER WRITES PRINTING REQUISITION. 
Q)HA5 NO AUTHORITY TO SIGN P.P. 



CONSULTING ENGINEER SIGNS REQUISITION. 

C.E. BECAUSE OF SLOW MESSENGER SERVICE. 

ASST.SUPT EXAMINES FORMS 8c REQUISITION. 
QUESTIONS® AS TO USE OF FORMS, THE NECESSITY 
AND APPLICATION. 
O.K.'S IF CONVINCED. 



ACCOUNTANT. 



A5ST. TO PRESIDENT PASSES ON IT FROM 
AN EXECUTIVES POINT OF VIEW. " 



PRINT! N6 DEPT. DECIDES WHETHER OR NOT 
TO PRINT IN PLANT. 

DICTATES PRINTING SPECIFICATIONS AND 
PURCHASE REQUISITION. 
STENOGRAPHER TYPES PURCHASE REQUISI- 
TION AND SPECIFICATION SHEET. 



BUYER TAKES IT UP WITH PURCHASING AGENT 



£H PURCHASING AGENT INSPECTS FOR QUANTITY 
AND QUALITY AND INSTRUCTS® WHAT TO DO. 



BUYER SENDS (a) BY SENDING SAMPLE OR 
FOR QUOTATIONS (b) BY HAVING PRINTERS COME 



(lO)(lU)(l6) BIDDERS MAKE ESTIMATE 



BUYER DECIDES ON BASIS OF PRICE AND 
<* * DELIVERY WHO GETS THE JOB. 



(U) STENOGRAPHER TYPES PURCHASE ORDER. 

m 

' 9) PUR AGENT SIGNS PURCHASE ORDER. 

)ll 

Ql) STENOGRAPHER SEALS AND STAMPS LETTER. 
11 Q m\>B 

MAIL ROOM PLACES IN MAIL BAG. 

MESSENGER DELIVERS TO POST OFFICE AND 
( M PRINTER DOES NOT YET HAVE ORDER. 

Fig. 7 Process Chart for Ordering 
Blank Forms — Present Method 



16 



PROCESS CHARTS 



and proposed processes. These can be still further visualized by the 
chronocyclegraph processes. Both the chronocyclegraph and the 
micromotion process have been described before the Society and 
more recent developments in these methods and devices for visualiz- 
ing existing and proposed processes will be the subject of a later paper. 
32 The records of the micromotion study and the chronocycle- 
graph methods and devices present permanently all the facts in such 
form that they can be used at any time. These photographic records 
can be studied as slowly as desired, regardless of how fast the motions 
of the process were actually made and the marvels of the details of 



CE. WRITES REQUISITION. 



BUYER HANDS TO STENOGRAPHER. 



STENOGRAPHER TYPES PURCHASE ORDER . 



PURCHASING AGENT SIGNS P.O. 



STENOGRAPHER STAMPS ANDSEALS PO. 



HAIL ROOM PLACES IN MAIL BAS. 



Fig. 8 Proposed Process Chart for First Orders 

superskill, unknown and unrecognized even by those who possess it, 
can be studied at will, leisurely and intensively, by learners every- 
where, far as well as near. If desired, these errorless records may 
be used only as far as to fill the need of present requirements, or they 
may be laid away until further needs demand further study, such 
records being in such perfect detail that they are practically as usable 
when old as when new. These permanent records of complete se- 
quences of details of complete processes furnish the foundation of 
the best kind of trade and industrial education, namely, the dis- 
semination of detailed instructions as to the synthesized processes 
of the best workers obtainable. 

33 These synthesized records of details of processes in turn may 
be further combined and large units of standard practice become 
available for the synthesis of complete operations in process charts. 






F. B. AND L. M. GILBEETH 17 

34 While the process-chart methods will be helpful in any- 
kind of work and under all forms of management, the best results 
can come only where there is a mechanism of management that will 
enforce and make repetitive the conditions of the standards. 

MECHANISM OF MAKING PROCESS CHARTS 

35 There are shown herewith: 

a The. symbols used with their meanings (Fig. 3) 

b The mechanical devices for making the symbols on the 

process charts (Fig. 4) 
c Completed process chart (Fig. 5) 
d Accompanying forms (Fig. 6) 
e Illustrations of collecting and using data. 

SUMMARY 

36 The procedure for making, examining and improving a 
process is, therefore, preferably as follows: 

a Examine process and record with rough notes and stereoscopic 
diapositives the existing process in detail 

b Have draftsman copy rough notes in form for blueprinting, 
photographic projection and exhibition to executives and others 

c Show the diapositives with stereoscope and lantern slides of 
process charts in executives' theater to executives and workers 

d Improve present methods by the use of — ■ 

1 Suggestion system 

2 Written description of new methods or " write-ups," 

!' manuals," " codes," " written systems/' as they are 
variously called 

3 Standards 

4 Standing orders 

5 Motion study 

6 Micromotion studies and chronocyclegraphs for obtaining 

and recording the One Best Way to do Work. 
e Make process chart of the process as finally adopted as a base 
for still further and cumulative improvement. 

37 Note that — 

a Visualizing processes does not necessarily mean changing the 

processes 
b Process charts pay. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



005 588 653 2 • 



T52 

.6 55 

Copv I 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




005 588 653 2 



I_Is-tll?n<v«*r> Ct 



